The Sun Must Set to Rise
by DazzlinSparkle05
Summary: Edward, a wealthy CEO hits a snag in his life. He is given a do over and learns that maybe second chances really are enough, but there are consequences. A/H, A/U
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyers owns Twilight, you know that. I just like the characters! ENJOY!**

**A/N: I will be posting another story as well. Only one will be continued from your opinions for now. Let me know what you think! Should I continue? Do you want more? This was beta'd by the awesome mauigirl60 and Dolphin62598.**

**EPOV**

My phone rang as I left the small airport hanger in Saint Lucia. After everything that happened in Chicago, I moved on autopilot until I was standing in this very space. Tanya, my fiancée of the past year, had been cheating on me with the CEO of the company my tech business was in the midst of merging with.

I came home; well, actually, I'd hit them with the front door of my penthouse. They were fucking where I usually set my keys in the foyer. A mere ten minutes after I'd kicked out the smug assholes, I received a call notifying me that my tech business was going under.

Like I said, I moved on autopilot and here I was, wearing the clothes I'd worn two days ago. I had my phone, wallet, and passport, but that was it.

"Hello?" my voice cracked.

"Edward, Jesus Christ… what happened?" my brother Carlisle sighed into the phone. "Dad's losing it, where are you?"

"I needed to leave," I mumbled.

"You needed to leave?" he asked carefully.

"What do you know?"

"Things aren't looking good for you, bro. That's what I know. Tan moved all her shit out of the penthouse. Es tried talking some sense into her. Did you two have a fight? Is this because of what happened with Masen?"

"So you know what happened with Masen?"

"It's all over CNN and CNBC. I'm a doctor, Ed. I only know a little about the business stuff that you, Em and Dad talk about. It doesn't sound too good."

"James fucked me over royally…" was all I could get out. I couldn't mention he fucked Tanya literally.

"Man, where are you?"

"Carlisle… I can't be in Chicago right now…"

"Edward."

"I need you to talk to Dad, see if he or Emmett could step in at Masen."

"Edward!" he panicked.

"I'll email a letter of resignation and declare Emmett the new CFO."

"Edward, you can't do something like that," he laughed humorlessly. "Let me and Emmett come get you. Where are you, little brother?"

I hung up, throwing and smashing my phone against the brick of the airport wall. I sat down on the curb of the passenger loading and unloading zone and closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. What the fuck _was_ I doing? And why couldn't I find a way to care? I felt numb… empty.

I heard an infectious giggle of a little girl to my right. I slowly opened my eyes and there was a little wisp of a girl standing in front of me. She had curly brown hair and eyes, and freckles covering her nose. She smiled widely at me, revealing two missing front teeth. I couldn't help but smile back at her. Her head turned quickly, looking at the door. I noticed the Mariners baseball cap sitting backward on her head. It contradicted the yellow sundress and gold sandals on her feet.

"Are you okay?" she asked, tilting her head at me.

"I'm okay," I answered her.

"You have no bags?"

I shook my head.

"Oh," she giggled. "Mama's getting our bags 'cause we flew on the plane. Did you fly on the plane?"

I nodded slowly.

"Wasn't it fun? Did you come from Seattle too?"

"No, Chicago," I told her.

"I don't know where that's at. My pappy lives in Forks, Mama took me to see him 'cause it's been forever since we see'd him. Guess what?" she said, just about squealing.

"What?" I smiled.

"Pappy took me on his boat and we caught fishies!" she grinned.

"That sounds like fun."

"Emma?" I heard a soft voice call from the doors of the baggage claim.

"I'm over here, Mama," she hollered over her shoulder.

A petite woman made her way over to us. The closer she got, the more I could see how breathtakingly beautiful she was. Her daughter was the spitting image of her, though the woman's curls were wilder and her nose and lips were different from that of her child's. She had more of a button nose and plumper lips.

"Uh, who's your new friend, baby?" she said, smiling down at her daughter and me.

If this was Chicago, I was pretty sure she'd be yelling at me and dragging her daughter away from the creepy stranger.

"Oh, what's your name?"

"Edward," I said, as I let out a breath.

"You look a little worse for wear, Edward," the beauty said, smiling. "I'm Bella and that chatterbox is Emma."

"Hi," I said quietly, feeling my exhaustion catching up with me.

"Edward, are you waiting for a cab?" Bella asked soothingly.

I froze because I hadn't thought that far yet. I'd gotten on the plane, but didn't know what to do now. If I went to one of the resorts, my family would trace my accounts back to here. I'd used the company plane and paid Peter, my pilot, handsomely not to tell anyone my location.

"I, uh…" I sputtered.

Emma giggled at me, looking up at her mother. "He's silly, Mama!" She laughed again.

"I think you might be right, Ems," she said, picking up the little girl. "Mr. Edward, would you like to come home and have dinner with us?"

I gaped at her.

"You don't know me," I protested.

"But you look hungry," she pointed out. "And _I'm_ hungry. Aren't you hungry, Ems?"

"I'm very hungry, Mama," Emma said, giving a nod. "Mr. Edward, Mama makes the best dinners, I promise."

"The very best," Bella agreed, nuzzling her nose against her daughter's.

"I… it's very hard to deny the both of you," I mumbled, looking up at their sweet faces.

"Funny thing, my dad said that all week," she snorted. "Come on, Mr. Edward, my Jeep is parked in the lot."

She went for her luggage, but I stood up and took it from her. "It's the least I can do," I told her, cutting off her protests.

Bella shrugged, walking in front of me as she carried Emma. Emma rested her chin on her mother's shoulder, watching me as I followed them. Her eyes were so trusting and I couldn't get over the insane fact that they were taking me home with them. I helped Bella get everything settled in her Jeep before making my way to the passenger seat.

"Mr. Edward?"

"Yeah?"

"Aren't ya so excited?"

I glanced at Bella and she shot me a beaming smile as she started the vehicle.

"Very," I answered.

We rode quietly through town; it was becoming very clear to me that Bella and Emma were locals. I deduced this from the way Bella drove. She only seemed to take back roads and shortcuts. I hadn't seen a resort or tourist trap yet. When we started up a winding road, I noticed it seemed more like a private driveway than a road.

"Is this your home?" I asked, as she pulled into the driveway.

At the top of the hill and overlooking the ocean, sat this amazing glass house. I'd been to this island many times, but had never seen a house with this type of architecture. It was exquisite.

"Do ya like my house Edward?" Emma asked, unbuckling her booster seat.

She climbed forward a bit so she could see my face. The expectant look on hers told me she was waiting for my answer.

"It's very beautiful," I said, nodding.

"Baby, why don't you go inside and check on Rocco?"

"But he's at Uncle Jake's!" Emma told her.

"Uncle Jake brought him back this morning when we boarded the plane. Now, go; I know he's missed you sooooo much," Bella said enthusiastically.

"I missed _him_ soooo much!" she squealed.

Bella hopped out of the car, letting Emma out before she came to stand by my door. I opened the door letting my sigh escape. "You don't know me. Why would you bring a stranger here? Endanger your child?"

"Can I be honest, Edward?" she asked, peering up at me.

For the first time, I realized how small this woman was. I'd be surprised if she wasn't over five feet two inches.

"By all means." I waved my hand at her.

"Honesty is always the best policy," she recited. "Sorry, my dad's a cop; he's kind of ingrained that concept into my head."

"You wanted to be honest," I reminded her, feeling amused.

"Right," she nodded. "I invited you here because you look like you needed help. I mean, you don't even have any luggage. The honesty part is that I saw your picture on CNN during our layover in Atlanta."

"So, what is it that you want? Money? Fame?" I snapped, feeling anger hit me.

"Look at where I live. Do you think I need money?" she snorted, shaking her head. "Fame? My stepfather is the owner of the Mariners. If I wanted fame, I could be a socialite in Seattle, getting out of cars with no panties on."

"Then why did you help me?"

"Emma," was all she said.

"Emma? What does your daughter have to do with this?" I scoffed.

"She has this fantastic judge of character," she said simply.

"That little girl can't be more than five years old. How do you trust her judgment? I could be a psychopath or pedophile," I spat.

I was fuming at the fact that she'd endanger both her and her daughter's life. I felt her hand touch my arm. Her big brown and trusting eyes met mine. The same eyes her daughter had inherited. The same eyes which dug me out of my catatonic state, even for a brief moment.

"I knew just by looking at you that you wouldn't hurt us," she murmured, letting her thumb rub my arm. "Plus, CNN has painted you as the next Mother Theresa."

I scowled and she giggled. "Lighten up, you're in paradise!"

"If you watched CNN, then you should know the shambles my life is in."

"You obviously wanted an escape, Edward," she said, tugging on my arm. "What are you running from?"

"I walked in on my fiancée fucking the man my multi-billion dollar company is merging with - at least I _thought_ was merging with. My company - which started out as a business plan for my grad school entrepreneurship class - has now lost three major clients. My shares are going under and quite rapidly, at that. I have absolutely nothing now. James has everything that was mine," I choked out.

Bella pulled me into a tight embrace, as my arms hung awkwardly at my sides. My tears gave way from the exhaustion and betrayal I felt at the moment. I never let anyone in, not even Tanya. Maybe in the back of my mind I'd known she'd do this. She was just as cold as I was. Emmett had more than once joked that he didn't understand the mechanics of robots fucking.

"You're safe here," Bella murmured, rubbing my back soothingly.

At that, I let my arms wrap around her as I cried. Not once had I seen that kind of compassion aimed toward me. I remained distant from my family with the exception of Carlisle's meddling. I grew up with two older brothers and a younger sister who all just seemed to fit in well together. Our mother had died after Alice was born and our father couldn't bear to look at us, especially her. All three were quite jovial, whereas I was the serious one. I'd always set goals for myself to succeed, and had many ambitions.

"You okay?" she asked, pulling back to survey me.

"I'm getting there," I sniffed, wiping my eyes.

"Let's go inside and we'll talk while I make dinner," she offered, taking my hand in hers.

I stared at her small dainty hand in mine. This woman was unbelievably warm and kind. As we walked through the front door, we were met with giggles and yipping. My eyes widened at the small ball of fluff at my feet.

"Rocco likes you, Mr. Edward!" Emma gushed.

"What is that?" I whispered to Bella.

"That's my baby, Rocco," she cooed, picking the dog up. "He's a teacup Shih Tzu."

"He's just a ball of black fur." I stared at him. "I was expecting a beast."

"He's our baby," Emma told me, holding her arms out to her mother.

Bella carefully placed him in Emma's arms, giving them both a kiss. "Scoot baby, we're going to make some dinner."

"I puts my movie in," Emma informed her, disappearing into the huge room down the hall.

Bella kicked her sandals off and padded barefoot into her kitchen. I followed, taking in the masterpiece that was this house.

"How old is Emma?" I asked.

"She just turned five, that was actually why we went on our trip," Bella explained, opening a fully-stocked fridge. "Jake," she mumbled.

"Jake?"

"Yeah, he's the dope who bought all these groceries," she sighed, shaking her head.

I didn't know what to say to that so I remained quiet. Bella pulled her hair into a messy bun on top of her head before pulling things out of her fridge.

"So, you went to Seattle for Emma's birthday?"

"Forks," she corrected, getting out a couple of pots from the cabinet. "It's this small country town in Washington. My dad lives there and he always comes here to see us…it was finally our time to go back."

I didn't want to intrude any more in their lives than I already had, so I didn't ask any questions.

"Emma's sperm donor lives there," she said matter-of-factly, just as if she was telling me the weather report.

"Sperm donor?" I coughed.

"We all have stories, Edward. Histories, if you will."

"And you're going to tell me your history?"

She shrugged. "I have nothing to hide," she said, pointing the big spoon in her hand at me.

"Okay," I said slowly.

"My parents met in college, got married, had me and divorced when I was a year old. My mom was an artist by heart and an architect by profession," she explained, pouring water into the smaller pot.

"This house?"

"Is a Renee Dwyer original," Bella nodded.

"Renee Dwyer? She designed the Masen building in Chicago," I said, amazed, but then frowned.

Renee Dwyer had passed away five years ago. Bella's _mom_ passed away five years ago. Bella looked up from her task of boiling water and cocked her head at me.

"My mom and I stayed in Seattle after the divorce. Charlie moved back to his hometown four hours away. I'd spend my summers there as a kid. My mom married Phil when I was four and, suddenly, I had two dads. They were cool with each other, though. When I was ten, Mom got offered a resort job here and we sort of stayed. Phil would go back for baseball season and my dad would take his vacations here."

"So, she built this house for all of you?"

"Yup," she smiled, getting the marinara sauce out.

"Mom got sick when I was seventeen. I'd gone to Washington to spend a few weeks with my dad. I was a brat and acted out any way I could. I'd always been pretty laid back, but I was taking the whole cancer thing pretty hard. I mean, she was my mom - all of a sudden, she was dying," she sighed, shaking her head in disbelief.

I got up and moved toward Bella, leaning against the counter. I squeezed her hand, trying to give her some sort of comfort. I knew what it was like to lose a mother.

"I'm good," she smiled weakly up at me. "I met Mike one night at the tavern. I was so stupid and so unbelievably drunk. The bartender didn't question my fake ID. Mike was drunk too. It was such a mess. I sneaked out of his apartment the next morning. A few days later, my dad took me into Newton's Outfitters to get some stuff for his fishing trip. Mike's family owned the sporting goods store. There he was, with his mom and new bride. Jessica had just gotten back into town after trying to get their house in Seattle set up. They were expanding the business out in the city."

I let out a breath, feeling Bella's shame and guilt rolling off her. This time, she squeezed my hand, giving me a slight nod.

"I came home a few days later. My little wild streak in Forks straightened me up real quick. I'd slept with a married man. It was a few months later when I was getting sick alongside my mom that she began to worry. I took a test and found out I was pregnant. I told my mom everything and then I told Charlie. I seriously think my dad was going to go to Seattle to hunt Mike down. Apparently, Mrs. Newton told him a few days before that Jessica was in her third trimester. He wanted to go on the warpath," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Your dad sounds scary," I supplied.

"He's a big, grouchy teddy bear," Bella grinned, nudging my side. "He has such a seventies pornstache, it's hysterical."

"He's a real ladies man, huh?" I joked.

"Definitely, before he met my stepmom," she laughed.

"So Emma has a…"

"Half–sister, technically. She's an only child. I was seven months pregnant when my mom died. So there I was - this eighteen-year-old soon-to-be mother living on an island. My dad took a sabbatical and he and my stepmom stayed down here with me and Phil until after Em was born," she explained. "Phil and I were a mess, and Sue and my dad were our rocks. I can't even begin to think about what we'd have gone through if we didn't have them."

"Emma's father wasn't here for her birth?"

"She doesn't _have_ a father," Bella stressed. "That square on her birth certificate is left blank. I said I didn't know who the father was. My dad was disappointed in me for that, I think, but I was saving Emma from that piece of shit."

"He doesn't know about her, then?"

Bella bit her lip looking like I was about to scold her. "Uh, _now_ he does," she sighed.

"Uh-oh," I said, leaning back against the counter.

"We were at the park near my dad's house and all these adorable little nuggets were running around. Emma was building a princess castle in the sandbox when this blonde little girl asked to play with her. I was reading my book so I thought nothing of it. I didn't see the child's face, only her blonde hair up in pigtails. I would say she was a tomboy because she was wearing a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles t-shirt under her overalls. My child wears dresses all the time because she's obsessed with them…" Bella rambled on, seemingly getting caught up in her memories.

"Emma got up and waved at me; I blew her a kiss and she giggled. She walked over to the swings with the little girl. Genetics are such a weird thing because their noses and smiles made me hurt. I could see right then who this little girl was. He did, too, because I didn't even notice him sitting next to me until he was grabbing my arm. The girls couldn't see him and, for that, I was happy. I told him to fuck off and he threatened me with a DNA test. I reminded him then that Jessica would have to be made aware of what had occurred for that to happen. He demanded rights to my daughter, but was sickened at the reminder of his infidelity to his wife."

"That was it?"

"I might have punched him where it counted because he wouldn't let go of me. Then I scooped Em up and went back to my dad's house. My dad told me Mike's dad had a heart attack and that's why he was in town. He helped us move our flight up so we could come back. When we had our layover in Atlanta, my dad said Mike had showed up at the house demanding to talk to me."

"Aren't you afraid he might come here?"

"He doesn't know where we live. This house is in Phil's name for that very reason. The residents of Forks knowme as Chief Swan's daughter. I don't have Facebook; hell, we don't even have Internet up here," she said, shaking her head.

"No internet?" I asked, slightly horrified.

"This place was my mom's safe haven. She wanted peace and relaxation. The only connection to the outside world is our landline. We have no cable TV or internet. Emma has a million DVDs of things to watch. I want her to grow up like any other kid."

"What about storms or emergencies?"

"My stepsister and brother-in-law let me know. They moved to the island two years ago. It's nice to have family close by. So, you see, Mr. Edward, this is the perfect place for you to stay."

"No outside world," I muttered in relief.

Could it be possible to stay here without any worries from Chicago? Could I just disappear from my past for a while; from my family and friends? Or the people who _acted_ as if they were my friends?

"Mama? Is my food ready?" Emma pouted, padding into the room in her bare feet.

I guess I was about to find out.


	2. Chapter 2

**Three years later**

**EPOV**

The baby's cries filled our room. I unwrapped my arms from around Bella, placing a kiss on her bare shoulder, where her shirt was hanging low.

"Just when we thought he was sleeping through the night," she groaned.

"I got him," I chuckled, stumbling out of our bed.

"I'm up now anyway and you know he needs my boobs to eat," she yawned, sitting up against the headboard.

"You make nursing sound so beautiful," I rolled my eyes as I scooped Cameron up from his crib.

He had a room and he slept in it, but some nights Bella wanted him in here with us. Her love for both children amazed me. Maybe it was because I grew up with nannies raising me and my siblings, but Bella loved to keep our children close to her.

Cameron's face snuggled closer to my chest and I laughed. He was definitely hungry. Bella smirked as I scooted closer to her on our bed.

"Daddy can't give you what you want, big man," she giggled as I gave him to her.

She lifted up her t-shirt, which was mine and settled Cam on her breast. He latched on, suckling greedily. His little fisted hand rested on Bella's other breast. I put my chin on her shoulder watching my son.

"When are we going to switch him?" I asked.

"Uh, I started Em on cereal at six months . . . I think?"

"You think?" I laughed, tilting my head to kiss her lips.

"This is your first time with all of this. If we have another, then you're going to learn time moves so fast, things become hazy. Why do you think I cry sometimes?"

"Your hormones are crazy," I teased.

"No," she glared. "It's because I have another baby and I love having him be a baby, but as they grow they do become pretty awesome little people. I mean look at Emma."

"Emma is pretty awesome," I murmured.

"She's been calling you Daddy too," she peered up at me, gauging my reaction.

This new "daddy" development was something I never thought I would have. My first year on the island had been rough. I stayed in Bella's guest room, trying to keep out of their way. Emma wouldn't have any of that and Bella really let me do whatever I wanted in the house. About five months into my stay, I started feeling things for Bella. She was this stunning beauty that was hidden away on her hill. Though she didn't stay on the hill at all times.

I found out that Bella ran this a bed and breakfast place that her mother had once owned. The main house hosted a restaurant and bar and she had six cottages on the beach for guests to stay in. I was amazed at the waiting list it had, people from all over had reserved cottages a year in advance.

I decided to leave the house after six months and see what Bella did with her day. She put me to work. I started out doing the books and now manage the restaurant. I bought in and had become a silent partner after a year of being here.

Bella's family at first had been kind of wary of me and I swear, Jake had downright hated me when we first met. Bella had asked him to get me some island-appropriate clothes. He lectured her for two days, telling her I was an opportunist and she was too young to know the world yet and how guys like me operated. I quickly stepped in telling Jake that if he wanted me to leave, I would go. My girl raised hell for that. She went on a rant about how Jacob was not our boss and he wasn't the law. I stayed and Jake never said anything else about it.

Leah, Bella's step-sister, was the scarier of the two though. The morning Bella told me she more than liked me was when Leah changed her tune about me.

_I woke up to the island sun filtering in through out balcony window and headed down to get the coffee started. It was too early for Bella and Emma to be up so I stuck to just coffee for now. I was surprised to see Bella stumbling sleepily into the kitchen wearing the t-shirt of mine that she took from the pool._

_"Morning," I smiled._

_"You made coffee?" she asked, laying her head on my shoulder._

_"Yeah." I brushed one of her wild curls behind her ear. "How about I make yours?"_

_"Okay," she murmured before climbing up to sit on the edge of the counter._

_After a year I knew she didn't like super strong coffee so I dumped a shit ton of cream and sugar in. When I turned around, Bella tugged on my wrist until I was standing between her legs._

"_Hi," she whispered._

_"Hi," I smirked at her. "Can I kiss you?"_

_She nodded, letting her fingers play with the hair at the nape of my neck. I dropped my head down and captured her lips with mine._

"Oh no, Daddy's blanking out on us, Cam," Bella cooed to our boy.

"No, Daddy's thinking about the first time he kissed Mommy," I grinned, kissing her again.

"You think you're so smooth, Cullen," she sighed dreamily.

"I am." I winked at Bella and we both laughed softly before I pulled away and moved to sit beside her. "I want to adopt Emma. She's mine just as much as Cam is," I added seriously.

Bella sighed, placing Cam in my arms and slinging his burp rag over my shoulder. "Burp him," she ordered, fixing her shirt back down to cover herself. "We've been over this, Edward. Putting your name on your son's birth certificate is less noticeable than us getting married or you adopting Emma. If you want to contact your family and jump back into being Edward Cullen, then I'll support you a hundred and ten percent, but you can't do any of that secretly."

And she was right. If we did anything like that I would be able to be found. Was I ready to be found yet? I wanted Bella to be my wife and I wanted Emma to be my daughter. Right now there were two Swans and two Cullens living in this house.

"Babe, you have that tortured look on your face. Stop it," she said gently.

"I need to fix things," I whispered.

"Maybe you can ease your way back into being Edward Cullen. Like, research what things are like now for your family and Masen," she offered.

"You want me to google my family and company?" I questioned skeptically, patting Cam's back.

"Hey, Google's a very resourceful tool," Bella defended, kissing Cam's head.

"Mommy only says that because she googles everything," I told Cam conspiratorially as he burped.

"And that is what he thinks of you," she huffed lying down.

I snorted, sliding down. I laid Cam on my chest, rubbing his back. Bella curled into me watching us.

"I know you're scared and maybe a little humiliated still, but you did disappear from them and your old life…"

"I built a new life with you," I defended.

"Remember what my dad said to you right after I had Cam?"

"If I give him another grandchild before marrying you, he will murder me," I mumbled.

"The man has guns, Edward," Bella said frankly, before playfully biting my shoulder.

"I'll get right on it then," I said dryly.

* * *

"He's doing it again," Emma sighed, pointing at her brother.

I looked down at Cameron as he peeked over the sling I was carrying him in. His little fingers tugged at the fabric so he could see out.

"I think he might be getting too big for this," I explained to the eight year old.

"Mom doesn't like strollers," she said matter-of-factly. "Are you going to get him a stroller, Daddy?"

"Uh, not today Em," I smiled, picking up a couple of mangos before dropping them into my bag.

"Da," Cam babbled, tugging at my t-shirt.

"Yeah buddy, I see you," I kissed his head.

As we walked through the market, I felt like I was on top of the world. Emma held my hand as we walked around and Cameron's green eyes lit up at the new things he was seeing.

"Maddy at school said little brothers are annoying, but are better than little sisters cause then you don't have to share with them. You know like clothes and stuff," Emma informed me.

"Does she have a brother and sister?" I asked amused.

"Yeah, but they're not babies like Cam. Cam's not annoying though. I told her that. I also told her he's sweet and I love him."

"You know he loves you too, right?"

"Duh? I'm his absolute favorite. I make him laugh," she giggled.

"You make all of us laugh," I chuckled.

"Well, I'm pretty funny."

"Very true," I nodded.

"You know when mom means true she says preach?"

"Mom listens to too much hip-hop," I mumbled, knowing Bella got that from a Jay-Z and Kanye song.

I didn't love Bella for her taste in music, that's for sure. Bella had very eclectic tastes in music. She could go from Drake to The Doors at the drop of a hat. Our house had music flowing through it at all times. She loved to dance around with the kids and they just loved her.

"Can I go and get a cupcake from Miss Rosie's?" Em asked pointing over to Bella's best friend's house.

"How do you know Rose has cupcakes?"

"Cause she always has cupcakes, Daddy," she said letting out an exasperated sigh.

Bella's friend Rosalie was from Seattle as well. They grew up together until Bella moved here with her mom and Phil, but kept in touch throughout high school. Rose was in college when she became engaged to her Frat boy President fiancé. In a hazing gone wrong, the supposed love of her life let his almost inducted "brothers" take a shot at his fiancée in order to get in to the frat. Rose reported the attack to the authorities and the story made national news. Bella was quick to go to Rose and bring her back to hide her from the humiliation and trauma.

Bella always described Rosalie as being this fierce presence, but the woman I met was quiet and withdrawn. I tried to always keep my distance with her. I made her skittish- all men did, with the exception of my son. She adored both children and always watched them when Bella and I had date nights.

"Go ahead then," I sighed, mimicking Emma.

I sat down on a bench in front of Rose's house watching the locals and tourists pass happily. I shifted Cam so he could see too and his hand patted my bearded cheek. I laughed as his giggles left his mouth. Leaning down I blew a raspberry on his cheek. He cackled more this time. I swear my heart expanded at the noise.

"Edward?" I heard a choked voice say near us.

I turned, seeing a small woman with very short hair rush to us. Her dress billowed behind her and I saw a man with blond hair following quickly behind.

"Alice," he shouted trying to pull her back.

Despite the three years that had passed since the last time I had seen her, I recognized the face of my baby sister. She stopped abruptly as I stood. Her eyes were glued on my son as I watched the tears roll down her face.

"I'm really sorry, man," the guy panted, as his hands gently sat on my sister's shoulders.

"Edward," she sobbed.

"Alice," I puffed out.

The man's eyes widened with my acknowledgement. The next thing I felt was the sharp sting against my cheek. Cameron started wailing at that and I watched Alice bring her tiny fists up, but the man wrapped his arms around her, sort of pinning her to him.

I heard Rose's screen door slam. "Emma, stay inside," she ordered in an uncharacteristic Rose tone.

"But that lady hit my dad!" Em hollered through the screen.

"Dad?" Alice growled, trying to escape the blonde man,

"Edward, give me Cameron," Rose said soothingly over my son's screams.

I broke out of my daze, lifting Cam from the sling. I held him, kissing him, trying to calm him. He was never around violence or screaming and yelling. Our home was a happy, laid back one so this ruined his mellow.

"Here Rose," I said gently handing him over. He tried to hold on to me, but this was best because Alice was still yelling and trying to fight off the tall man's hold.

"Do you… Should I call Bella?"

"No, please keep them inside. I'll deal with this," I murmured.

She nodded and turned in a rush to get back into her house. Emma though burst through the doors and ran past Rose. She launched herself at me as I lifted her and now I saw her tears. Her little hand rubbed where Alice had hit me.

"Emma, I need you to go inside with Miss Rosie," I whispered into her hair.

"No," she huffed. "That lady hit you." I watched Emma turn in my arms glaring at my little sister. "Hitting isn't nice and my daddy is a very nice man. I'll pray for you."

If it weren't for the severity of the situation I would laugh. Bella had this thing she did when she didn't like someone and she would get snippy saying, "I'll pray for you." Even if she was mad at me she would say it. I thought it was ridiculous because we weren't even remotely religious. Spiritual maybe, but definitely not avid churchgoers.

"Edward, she keeps calling you that name," Alice gritted out. "And you were holding that baby. You are supposed to be dead," she choked out again.

"Now that's a little dramatic, Alice," I spat, watching Emma's tears pour.

"Daddy, you can't be dead," she wailed.

I glared at Alice.

"I think maybe we should talk privately. Uh, its breaking my heart to see all this crying and I don't want your little darlin' there to worry," the man said waving to Emma.

"Baby, I'm not dead, look I'm holding you so I'm here. I do need you to go into Miss Rosie's house though, so I can talk to my sister."

Emma's eyes widened as she pulled away to look at me. "She's your sister and she hit you?" she asked in disbelief. "I would never ever hit Cam," she turned toward Alice. "You are a bad sister…"

I decided that none of this was helping so as Emma scolded Alice I walked toward the house. "Daddy, I was talking to her," she frowned.

"I know, but I don't think Alice was listening."

"Well, that's rude," she huffed.

I chuckled, kissing her head. "You know how much I love you?"

She nodded giving me one of her mega watt Emma smiles. "To the moon and back."

Once we were in the house Cam had stopped crying. Rose was rocking him on her couch. I sat Emma beside her.

"What was that out there?" Rose asked quietly. Emma snuggled into her side playing with Cam's fingers.

"That is my sister. I'm going to take them back to my office. That way Bella is there too. Can you watch these little nuggets?" I asked, poking both my kids.

"Sure, no problem. Should I feed them lunch?" she asked.

"That would be great. Bella pumped before she left this morning so there is a bottle for Cam in the bag," I explained pulling my backpack off. "I really appreciate this."

"Bella has done a lot for me, I don't want to hear it," she protested, shaking her head.

I kissed both kids and slowly left the house. Alice and the guy she was with were now sitting on the bench I had been sitting on. They were whispering and Alice was still crying. I approached them and Alice blinked up at me. I saw her phone in her hand and I knew she had called either Carlisle or Emmett or maybe both.

"So this is your house?" she sniffled.

"No, this is a friend's house."

"You put those kids in there."

"Those kids are my children."

"That little girl has to be at least six or seven! She can't be yours…" I cut Alice off.

"I plan on adopting Emma and she is mine just as much as her brother is biologically mine. Whatever you're going to say, save it for my office."

"Your office?"

"Yeah. I manage a restaurant. Bella's there too."

"Bella? Is that their mother?"

"She is their mother and my entire universe," I shrugged.

Alice balked at me and I knew it was because she had never heard me speak of anyone like that. Not even Tanya. I knew I had found a lifetime of love with Bella. To think of all the laughs, the arguments, the sadness we had been through, I would never trade any of it.

"I'm Jasper Whitlock, by the way," the tall, blonde man said holding his hand out to me. "I am a financial analyst at Masen."

"And my husband," Alice said absently.

"And her husband," he smiled down at her. "New husband as a matter of fact."

"This is your honeymoon?" I asked with a small smile.

He nodded, but Alice just followed as we approached the restaurant. A few of my regulars greeted me as we walked in, asking about Bella and the kids. I usually had them with me on Wednesdays because it was my day off and it was our thing to go to the market. I started that tradition with Emma and now did it with both of them.

Alice looked very pale as we walked through the restaurant. I caught sight of Bella sitting in the back booth eating a veggie burger. She was dressed up today, wearing a white blazer and black pencil skirt. Her hair was in a bun sitting on the top of her head. She looked amazing. She was usually pretty casual, but there were developers from the States staying in a few of our cabins. Bella thought she should give them a classy stay.

She took a sip of her drink and glanced in my direction. When she saw me, she stood and made her way over to me.

"Hey you," she grinned, wrapping her arms around me.

"Hey," I leaned down, giving her a chaste kiss.

"Where are the kiddos?"

"At Rose's," I answered, bringing my hands down to rest on her lower back.

She cocked her head up at me, giving me a questioning look. I pulled away from our embrace and moved her into my side.

"Bella, this is my sister Alice."

**A/N: Obviously I am continuing with this one! I do have two more chapters written, but will post after I catch up with WBMTY. The Real World Chronicles will be the next fic after one of the other two are finished. So, what do you guys think of this? Thoughts, please!**

**I also wanted to introduce my new beta Astro2009, she has been such a huge help this week and I truly appreciate it. ****Dolphin62598 also deserves a huge thanks for her beta'ing and being a constant supporter. ****Moving forward ****Dolphin62598 and****Astro2009 will be my betas on board.**


	3. Chapter 3

**EPOV**

As soon as we entered my office, Bella kicked her heels off, waiting for me to sit in my chair. I sat and she snuggled in my lap. Alice clung to Jasper while they sat on the couch in front of my desk.

"You're supposed to be dead, Edward," Alice whimpered. "Your plane crashed in Georgia; you and Peter were on it. Your laptop and iPad were found in the fire. Carlisle said you called and he lost the call."

Bella rested her face against the side of mine. I felt her eyelashes fluttering and her hot breath washed across my cheek. "You're not dead," she chanted as her arms wrapped around me.

I blinked; Peter, my pilot, died on his way back from here. The engine failed and he just went down. That could have easily happened on the way down here. I could have been on that plane, but at that time I was probably sleeping in the guest room in our house.

"We thought you were dead! We had your funeral. We buried an empty casket next to Mom," she cried.

Bella slumped into me sobbing. The thought of me dead, even though I was holding her, must have been agonizing for her.

"Babe, don't cry. I'm right here," I whispered, turning my head to kiss her.

"That's the thing, Edward. You're right here and told no one you were alive or okay!" Alice wailed.

"I didn't know I was dead!" I snapped. "After I got off the phone with Carlisle, I smashed it against the wall. I sat on the curb and Emma and Bella literally walked into my life. Our home is a safe haven from the outside world. We have no cable or Internet, just our landline."

"You don't have any of that here?" Alice yelled gesturing around my office.

I understood that Alice was in shock and more than agitated. I took a deep breath and tried to remain calm.

"I only use the basic essentials. I run this place and have a family at home. I don't have use for the media of our world."

"Our world!" she snorted angrily. "Listen to yourself. You have no idea what we went through because of you, Edward."

I watched Jasper run his thumb over her skin as he held her hand in support.

"Enlighten me," I said, leaning back in my chair with Bella in my arms. Bella turned her head toward Alice and waited to hear what my sister had to say.

"After you talked to Carlisle, he tried to find you. He found out that you were with Peter - or so we thought. We got a call about five hours later that your plane had been found.

"Tanya said you had a misunderstanding. She was a mess. We all were, Edward." Alice let out a sob.

"Carlisle told me and Em he thought she was lying. Her stuff was gone the day after Carlisle talked to you. With that and everything going on at Masen, no one called her out. Emmett and Dad tried to dig more into your merger with James, and Carlisle oversaw your funeral. I had Esme for support, but Tanya kept trying to contact us. After a few months, Dad hired Jasper."

"I found undocumented withdrawals from client accounts." Jasper took over from Alice. "Huge withdrawals. James already had three of your biggest accounts and had completely left Masen alone.

"I think he thought no one would notice. The withdrawals were made months before you left and the shares started to decrease. Your death was rather convenient for him," Jasper added.

"Then Tanya showed up claiming she was pregnant," Alice spat.

Jasper hugged her closer, but the contempt on Alice's face remained. She looked at Bella curiously, causing me to look down as well. Bella was crying and shaking her head.

"Alice," I said wanting her to continue.

"Since you hadn't added Tanya to your will, she of course got nothing. She was pissed, threw a tantrum in Jenks' office. I think that was her desperate attempt to get more from you. It was Carlisle who said he wanted a DNA test. He suspected James as a possible father." Alice's disgusted face frowned.

"The baby wasn't mine," I breathed out a sigh of relief, hearing Bella return the same reaction.

"No, it was James and that same day, Dad and Emmett had him brought up on embezzlement charges."

"Emmett said that was his way of avenging your death," Jasper chuckled.

I had to laugh too because that was very Emmett.

"I'm glad you are so fucking happy." Alice looked at me, with anger in her eyes.

"Alice, I am trying to digest all of this," I explained.

"We were suffering while you were playing house in paradise. How fucking dare you?" she barked.

"I get that you're angry and hurt, but you have no right to speak to him like this," Bella pointed, sitting up and leaning forward. "Maybe Edward should have called, okay he definitely should have… but he was destroyed and humiliated."

"He doesn't look very destroyed and humiliated to me," Alice argued. "He's living it up with some hot young thing on a tropical island, not to mention he has fathered a child without any of his family's knowledge. You are so selfish, Edward."

"I'm selfish?" I yelled, feeling my face turn red. "Everything I have ever done in my life up until I came here, had to do with all of you. I had to please Father. I was his prodigy. Carlisle and Emmett were his eldest and he relied on them for nothing. He sold Brandon and bought into Masen because he trusted my vision. I was a twenty-two year old with a multi million-dollar surveillance software company thrown on my lap. Alice, Dad cut you off when you said you wanted to go to culinary school… did you forget who paid your tuition?"

My breathing turned ragged while I thought of everything else that I had done to please my family. Dad backed me into a corner to propose to Tanya. She was a socialite, came from old Chicago money much like we did. I thought I loved her at one time and she me, but in truth I never loved until I met Bella. I felt Bella's palms rest against my chest. Her brown eyes in front of my green ones. She let out a small sigh, bringing her right hand up to pat my cheek.

"Christ, I don't need you popping an artery. I mean I'm too young to be a widow. Wait, can I even be a widow if we're not married?" she asked, going cross-eyed.

That did it. I buried my face in her neck, laughing hysterically. Breaking tension was effortless for her. There was never a time if we were arguing that I wouldn't burst out in laughter from something she'd say to intentionally clear the air. I would say we were laid back. Jake and Leah thought the way we interacted was strange.

"I'm happy you both find this hilarious, but this isn't the fucking time for jokes!" Alice shrieked.

My office phone started ringing and Bella leaned forward, picking it up. "Bella speaking," she answered. I let my hand rub her back as she spoke and wrote things down.

I had service orders coming in tomorrow. I assumed it was the distributor confirming the shipment. When she ended the call, my phone rang again. Alice glared, but we had a business to run.

"Bella…" Bella stopped then smiled. "This is Mommy speaking."

I knew it was Emma.

"Baby, Daddy's okay. No, that's not going to happen, Emma," she sighed, looking over her shoulder at me as she shook her head.

"I'm going to come pick you and Cam up. Okay, he's talking to his sister… Baby, I'm on my way."

Bella hung up, sliding off my lap. "As much as I would love to stay," she pointed and glared at my sister. "You have traumatized my daughter and my son won't stop crying at the littlest noise."

"Babe," I started.

She walked away, slipping her heels back on. I watched her head shake while she directed her next statement to the room. "You all need to get this sorted out. I can't have all this anxiety and tension around our children. My little people are happy and I'd like it to stay that way. Alice, Jasper, I invite you both to visit, but all of this..." she waved her hand around, "must be settled before I let that happen."

Her heels clacked as she walked back toward me. She dipped down kissing my lips, causing me to smile against hers. "I love you," she murmured. "Try not to be too late for dinner."

"I won't miss it," I promised, kissing her again. "Love you too."

"Okay, bye to both of you," she said to Alice and Jasper before grabbing her bag and leaving.

"I don't like her," Alice huffed.

Jasper's eyes widened as he shook his head at my sister. "She didn't do anything to you, Ali," he mumbled.

"He's a pussy hostage," she spat.

That was definitely something Emmett would say, not my baby sister. I blinked in shock at her. "You will never speak of her in any derogatory way. Bella is the mother of my children and the love of my life. How dare you say something like that,!" I snapped.

"Edward, look at her. She can't be more than twenty years old. She has that little girl - I bet she never graduated high school…"

"Bella's twenty-five and she did graduate. She owns this resort - hell, before me, she owned this restaurant too. She was twenty-two, owning and running all of this, without any help except from her staff. Before you start and say she is only after my money, Bella was born into money and has made even more."

"You know how this will look when you go back. You're a thirty-five year old billionaire, shacking up with her and had a baby. The media will tear you apart," she informed knowingly.

I pinched the bridge of my nose trying really hard not to lash out at Alice, but the way she was tearing Bella apart was demeaning even for her.

"Okay, number one... I'm not going back. We have a house here and our life is here. Number two... the media will not get wind of this," I glared.

"I called Carlisle when you were in your friend's house. He, Esme, and Emmett are on their way down here. Maybe they can talk some sense into you."

"Alice, no one else can know I'm here," I breathed pleadingly.

I knew if the media had any idea that I was alive or anything about my life now, everything that I had built over the last three years would be ripped from me. We'd never before had to worry about our children being able to play or go to school. No private school or security to watch them 24/7. That was the last thing I wanted and Bella was hell bent on giving Emma and Cameron a normal life. Now, we would be all be targets.

* * *

I pulled Bella's SUV into the garage, heaving a sigh. I'd spent the past two hours cooped up in my office with Alice. We'd yelled and cried. It had been draining. Alice promised that no one knew why my brothers and Esme were coming down here. Emmett's flight left after Carlisle's. They didn't want to look suspicious. We made a slight game plan to where they would stay. Alice and Jasper were on their honeymoon so I told them to stay at their resort; everyone else could stay here.

I slipped quietly inside, the house. Rocco noticed and ran up to me. Thankfully, he didn't bark. Bella had texted me an hour ago saying Cam was jumpy. I wanted to strangle Alice - she'd just had to hit me while I was holding him.

The TV was on in the family room. I walked in, seeing Em on the floor lying on her stomach while she watched Tangled. Bella sat on the couch with her leg under her, nursing Cam. I sighed, sinking down next to her.

"So you made it out alive?" she asked quietly.

"I'm so sorry you had to deal with this," I whispered.

Em heard me, hurrying over to climb on my lap. "Does your face hurt? Let me see," she insisted, inspecting the damage.

"No, my face doesn't hurt," I poked her belly. "Did you guys eat dinner yet?"

"I ordered a pizza, it should be on its way," Bella informed me as Cam let her go.

He reached for me, his green eyes looking cautious. "I can burp him," I offered.

Bella gave me his burp cloth before giving our son to me. Em's nose scrunched, as it seemed to do every time she was around for one of Cam's feedings. The first time she saw Bella feed Cam she had a million questions that we weren't prepared for. How does milk get in there? Does Daddy have milk too? Does that hurt? Did I drink milk from your boobies?

"Did your sister leave for forever?" she asked, leaning on me while I patted her brother's back.

Bella snorted as she cleaned up around the family room. "What's the verdict, babe?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"She called in reinforcements," I told her.

I watched her small frame freeze while she held the edge of Cam's play mat. "What does that mean?"

"My brothers and sister-in-law will be staying with us."

Cameron decided to let up a pretty stellar burp that even surprised him. He whimpered and Bella was holding him in a second. She stood rocking and cooing to him softly. His muffled whimpers slowed.

"I'm taking him up for his bath," she said flatly. "Get the pizza."

Em and I watched Bella leave the room with Cam. "Mom's not happy," she said conversationally.

"She is not," I sighed.

"She said your sister wouldn't be mean to me and Cam again. Is that true?"

I thought about this because I knew with Emma or any small child you couldn't make promises. If you did and the promise was broken, then you betrayed their trust. "Alice isn't naturally mean. She and my brother Emmett were always the fun ones. I think Alice is really hurt," I explained.

"Is she hurt because I found you?" she asked frowning.

I smiled because Emma did find me. "There was a misunderstanding," I trailed off, trying to choose my words.

"You died," she whispered sadly.

"For the last time, I am not dead, baby. I'm here with you and your mom. We're a family now with Cameron."

"Mom wouldn't have Cameron without you," she added and was technically right.

"Correct," I nodded.

"But maybe you're a ghost," she shrugged. "You don't look see through, though."

"That's because I'm not a ghost. I'm here, Emma. My heart beats and I breathe just like you do."

Emma climbed into my lap and rested her hand and her ear on my chest, listening to the steady thump of my heart.

"Okay, I guess you're right," she finally concluded. "Do you have to go back?"

"Emma Leigh Swan, I live here," I smiled, kissing her cheeks and then her nose. "This is our home. Nothing and I mean nothing can take me away. Got it?"

She nodded before peering up at me with her brown eyes. "Why did Mommy get mad then?"

"We have guests coming to stay with us."

"Like at your work?"

"Well, my brothers are going to be our guests here."

"For the love," Emma groaned.

I knew for a fact she got that from Bella. Bella took the kids to church sometimes and didn't like saying God in front of them. So sayings that I knew had God in them she shortened, this being one of them.

"Why is that a bad thing?"

"Daddy, seriously?" she rolled her eyes. "Your sister isn't very nice and your brothers will be like her."

"I'm promising you that they will be nice to everyone that lives in this house."

She stared at me, blinking a few times and then gave me a "yeah right" look. Bella gave me that look all the time. Emma left it at that though, snuggling close to me before going back to her movie.

The pizza arrived and as I went to shut the door, I could hear Bella upstairs venting to Cam. I stopped counting after the fourth 'daddy' she huffed out. I gave up trying to hear what she was saying and took the pizza into the kitchen to serve up.

Once I got all our drinks and made a second trip back for the food, Bella was stretched out on the couch with the baby monitor. She glanced at me as I sat in front of her on the floor, handing her the plate.

"Thanks," she mumbled.

"This is really good," Emma commented, just munching away.

We both agreed with her, that was it. We finished our food and watched the rest of the movie. I ended up carrying Em's sleeping little body upstairs to her room before gently laying her down and tucking her in. When I got back to our room, Bella was lying in bed with one of her tattered books.

"Kids are in bed," I informed her while I pulled my shirt off and slid under the sheets.

"Hmmm."

"Bella, come on," I groaned.

"Fine," she sighed closing her book. "I'm bordering pissed, Edward. We just talked about you contacting your family last night and now, here they are, all coming to stay in our house. That's more than overwhelming. Your sister pretty much was a bitch to all of us, including our children… what will your brothers be like?"

"Honestly?" I breathed, wishing I could predict what it would be like to see them after all this time. "I don't know."

"They fucking thought you were dead!" Bella whispered fiercely.

I rolled onto my back. I knew she was really mad then because she only did that when she didn't want the kids to hear us yelling. We usually had a happy household and wanted our children to know the love we shared. In reality, life isn't perfect. People argue with indifferences in how they think their world should be. Who's right and who's wrong? I knew that life. My father instilled how he wanted his children to act. From what I remember of my mother, she was a lot like Bella. She would ask us what we wanted to be when we grew up and asked us what was wrong when we were upset. Carlisle and Emmett had her longer than I did. I think that is why they were happy and optimistic.

I heard Bella sigh before she straddled me and sat on my stomach. Her palms rested on my chest as I looked up at her.

"We should have googled you or something when you first arrived here. Then we would have known and you could have let them know you were okay," she murmured, grazing her fingers through my chest hair.

I cupped her neck gently and stared up into the brown eyes I loved so much. "If I would had contacted them, they would have made me go back. We wouldn't have fallen in love and had Cameron. I don't want to even think of a life without you or Cameron or Emma. Do you understand that, Bella?"

She nodded, wiping at her eyes. Bella didn't cry much, or at least she tried not to let me see her tears. I remembered when she told me she was pregnant with Cam. Her eyes were red and she wouldn't look at me when she told me, in such a flat tone. That was when I wrapped my arms around her and thanked her for the best gift I could get in my life. She clung to me, burying her wet face in my neck.

"We were in a bubble for so long," she explained. "Will they take you home?"

"No. This is my home and we're not leaving here unless it's absolutely necessary. My family is coming to us and we'll resolve this mess here," I assured her.

"They're going to think I'm this… young gold digger," she frowned.

"I'm the one mooching off you," I teased, poking her side. "I bought partnership in the restaurant from my account."

"Anthony Masen's account," she corrected.

Bella was the only person other than the Swiss bank that knew the account even existed. When my father started pressuring me about dating Tanya, I decided to hide some money in the account. I guess somewhere in the back of my mind I didn't trust her or anyone else for that matter.

"I promise you no one will accuse you of anything. They are mad at me, not you." I tried to reassure Bella. "If you want, you can stay up here in the morning with the kids while I talk to them. I'll make you breakfast in bed," I offered giving her a quick kiss.

"Hmm, you haven't done that since Cam was a couple months old," she grinned.

"I need to do it more."

I rubbed my hand up and down Bella's back as we stared into each others eyes. Bella's chest rose as she inhaled and then spoke softly.

"I don't want you going into this alone."

"They're my brothers. Trust me, I know how to handle them."

"Whatever you say," she scoffed lightly.

Bella climbed off me and settled in beside me. I grabbed the monitor remote and looked at the screen. Cameron's face appeared. I watched as his eyelids fluttered in sleep and his nose scrunched. Bella pulled my arm down to her level so she could see too.

"I love that little face," she whispered as her fingers touched the screen.

"Me too," I agreed, kissing her head.

We lay there watching Cam sleep for a few minutes until Bella peered up at me. "Yes?" I asked.

"When will they be here?"

"In a few hours. I told Alice to have Carlisle text me when they're here."

"So they have our address."

"I told her so he can give it to the cab driver."

"Okay," she mumbled as her eyes started to droop.

I couldn't fall asleep like Bella could though. A million thoughts raced through my mind. I thought about having to go back and facing my father, but I had priorities here. The monitor was on the nightstand on my side and I could hear Cam's little grunts coming from it. Looking at the screen I saw my son's wide eyes blinking. Before he could start crying, I got out of bed to get him. The clock told me it was two in the morning. Knowing our guests would be here soon, I slipped my phone in the pocket of my sweat pants.

Cam's butt was wiggling in the air when I glanced in on him. He was too fucking cute and made me laugh. Hearing me, he started to make some noise. I lifted him up, kissing his nose.

"Hey, big guy," I cooed.

He gave me a toothless smile showing me his gums. I could smell that he definitely needed changing so I headed over to the table and got down to business.

"I think you and Mommy have a deal or something. I always get these diapers and for some reason you never pee on her either," I told him raising an eyebrow.

He giggled at me, kicking his legs as I fastened his diaper. I blew a raspberry on his belly before fixing his onesie, stepping back for a second. Cam watched me. When I leaned down, he reached for me.

"I think Mom pumped before bed so why don't we go down and get a bottle?"

He grunted and gurgled against my shoulder in answer. As we headed downstairs, I realized my phone was buzzing against my leg. I could see the silhouettes through the door. I punched in the security code before slowly opening the door.

There stood Esme, wringing her hands. I saw the tears in her eyes. Carlisle and Emmett were pulling bags out of the trunk of the cab. Cameron started to squirm and wiggle in my arms.

"It is true," Esme whispered.

With my brothers busy, I waved her in. Her eyes didn't leave me or my son. I could tell she wanted to touch him.

"Would you like to hold him?" I asked gently.

Her eyes widened and she nodded. Slowly and carefully, I placed Cameron in her arms.

"You are so beautiful," she murmured to him.

I didn't see Emmett until I heard him.

"Good. Now I can fucking deck you," he gritted out.

**A/N: I decided to post this now since it was just sitting there and I'm trying to finish up WBMTY's chapter. So the Cullens have arrived. That's happening! What do you think will happen?**

**Super huge thanks to my betas ****Astro2009 and Dolphin62598. Their suggestions and edits really make this story flow better and I'm grateful for their help!**


	4. Chapter 4

**EPOV**

I didn't see Emmett until I heard him.

"Good. Now I can fucking deck you," he gritted out.

Esme slid smoothly in front of me, glaring at Emmett. Carlisle came in and set the rest of the bags in the foyer before closing the door.

"You will not touch him," Esme said softly, kissing Cam's head. "Alice told you what happened earlier and I will not have you traumatizing this angel anymore.

Emmett heard her, but he was now staring at Cameron. "That's my nephew," he breathed out.

Carlisle stood next to him now, looking between me and the baby. His hand came out touching my shoulder and he pulled me until he was hugging me tightly. I felt his tears on my shoulder as he held on to me. At a loss I patted his back while Esme gently placed Cameron in Emmett's hulking arms.

My son looked so tiny being held by my massive brother. Emmett touched his forehead to Cam's and I the guilt started to hit me.

"You look like your dad did when he was a baby, kid," he told him with a chuckle. "Like the Michelin Man, with all your rolls."

"Hey, don't call my kid the Michelin Man," I argued.

Emmett glared at me for a second before going back to staring at my son. "Is this what people mean by button nose?" he asked, looking at Esme.

She was now inspecting Cam's face too. Her finger traced the bridge of his nose to the tip. "His nose isn't Edward's," she mused.

"Because his nose is all Bella's," I explained.

"Bella? That's his mother?" she asked quietly.

As I was about to answer I heard a little sneeze from the stairs. I left Cameron with Esme and Emmett and walked to the bottom of the stairs. Carlisle followed me and stood beside me as I looked up at Emma.

"Hi," I said, giving her a reassuring smile.

"I heard talking," she whispered, slowly creeping down the stairs.

"She is beautiful," Carlisle murmured.

"I'm gonna jump," Emma warned when she was near.

She jumped and I caught her. I gave her a quick squeeze before turning to Carlisle. "Do you want to meet my brother?" I asked her.

Emma looked at me and then to Carlisle before tilting her head. "Are you not a jerk?" she asked seriously. I rolled my eyes, wanting to scold her, but knew what her intentions were.

"Alice left quite the impression this afternoon," I explained to him.

"I'm not a jerk. Emmett is questionable, though," he answered teasingly.

Emma looked over his shoulder to see Esme and Emmett looking back. Her eyes widened at the size of my older brother. He stared back curiously at her while Esme silently cried. I just wanted them to love my family as much as I did.

Cam took that moment to let us know what he needed with his hungry cry. "We came down here for a feeding. I guess we got side tracked."

"I can go get Mom," Emma offered, wiggling in my arms.

"No, let Mom sleep," I told her, setting her down carefully, and walking towards Emmett "Here. I need him for a minute."

Emmett gently placed Cam in my arms and followed me into the kitchen. Emma started talking to Esme and Carlisle so I knew she was good to keep them entertained.

As I fixed Cam's bottle, I felt Emmett's eyes boring into me. Emmett was three years older than me, but had always been the funny one out of the four of us. There was never a moment that he hadn't a smile on his face. Emmett and I were sent to the same boarding school where it was arranged for us to live together. He was the sibling that knew my every thought and he could tell when something was wrong. I was a 'suffer in silence' type. That is...until I'd met Bella.

"Da," Cam babbled, reaching for his bottle.

"How old is he?"

"Six months."

Emmet nodded and ran his fingers lightly over Cam's soft hair that looked so much like mine. I could hear Emma softly chatting with my oldest brother and his wife but in the kitchen, the only sounds were the grunts and snuffles as my son sucked on his bottle as the tension built. I wasn't sure how to begin, and after my confrontation with Alice yesterday, I knew that Em would have a lot to say.

"Why didn't you contact us?" he finally asked, his voice soft, but laced with pain.

I stared into Cam's big green eyes as he continued to feed. Twenty-four hours earlier, my only concern was if I should google my family. Now, they were here in my home meeting my new family and I had questions to answer.

"At first, I wanted to hide from everything. My fiancée was cheating on me, my business was going under. I just couldn't breathe. I was suffocating from my failure. I met Bella and Emma literally as soon as I landed here. Emma found me on the curb and that was it," I explained. "Days turned into weeks then turned into months and I fell in love. This became my home. It's been three years, but it feels like I've known this life longer."

"I think Edward Cullen did die on that plane," Emmett mumbled.

Cameron looked up at me as he ate, his left hand batting at my chest. "Hey, big man," I murmured to him.

He sucked away at his bottle, but I saw his excitement in his eyes from my acknowledgement.

"I never thought I'd see the day that my ice-hearted, little brother would be this goofy, happy father." Emmett frowned and shook his head gently. "You were always so cold and calculating. I blamed Dad for it because he was harder on you and you never really got to be with Mom. She didn't get a chance to raise you… Carlisle and I felt so guilty after you disappeared…" Emmett choked out.

I blinked, feeling remorse for making him this upset. The repercussions of my actions were truly setting in. I needed Bella, but I wanted her to rest and process the presence of my family.

Our bubble of bliss had finally popped.

I tried not to break down. "I didn't know I was pronounced dead. If I had known, I would have contacted you. I am so very sorry you all had to deal with the destruction I caused," I told him sincerely.

Emmett wiped his hand over his face before setting his elbow on the counter. His chin rested on his hand. I noticed that my brother looked aged and tired. The hard set of his face didn't fit with his usual carefree nature.

"The past twenty-four hours have been fucked," he sighed. "When Alice called me, I thought she'd lost it again… Dad had her institutionalized six months after you disappeared. She became catatonic, and when she was lucid, she went on and on about seeing things…"

I looked down at Cam, noticing he was done, and lifted him over my shoulder to burp. "How long was she institutionalized?" I asked cautiously.

"A year," he explained. "She met Jazz a month after she was released, at a benefit. He's been really good for her… she's like a new person," he said gesturing to me. "Just like you."

Before I could respond, Emma burst into the room with Carlisle trailing behind her.

"Where's Esme?"

"Sleeping," Emma said with a shrug, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Emma showed us our room and Es has been tired lately," Carlisle said with a faint smile.

Emma stood in front of my giant of a brother, her little legs shoulder-width apart and her hands on her hips as she slowly moved her head to look from his shoes to his face.

"Are you not a jerk too? Uncle Carlisle said you are questionable."

I smiled at Emma's direct honesty and at her new name for Carlisle. She was such a friendly, loyal little girl and it warmed my heart to see her accept my oldest brother so quickly.

Emmett let out a loud chuckle, causing Cam to jump a little in my arms, and let out the air bubble that had been sitting in his tummy. At the sound of the loud belch from his little body, we all laughed, and Emma wrinkled her nose. She was not distracted from her mission however.

"Are you my daddy's other big brother? You are the biggest brother I've ever seen. What's your name?"

Emmett lowered his massive frame so that he was almost at eye level with Emma. "My name is Emmett."

"Emmett?" Emma giggled. "That's almost like me! My name is Emma!"

"You don't say," he teased.

"I don't think you're that bad," she decided.

Emmett stood, huffing out a breath. "Hey kid, show me where my room is?" he asked, holding his massive hand out to her.

Emma looked at me and I nodded. She slid her hand into his and I saw how small she looked next to my hulking brother. As they left the kitchen, Carlisle took the seat Emmett had just vacated. He smiled at Cameron.

"He just ate, but would you like to hold him?" I asked, moving beside him.

"I would," he added quietly as I laid Cam in his arms. "I can't believe any of this. I feel like I'm in a dream."

His nose skimmed the side of Cam's head as he breathed my son in. "Esme's pregnant," he said, looking up.

"Really?" I asked, surprised.

Esme had suffered three miscarriages before I left. With each one, she grew weaker, but her optimism never wavered. They later found out she had lesions and scarring in her uterus. The doctors said she would probably never be able to carry a baby full term.

"She had a procedure done about a year ago. It helped strengthen the scar tissue, but she still needs to take it easy."

"This is not easy, Carlisle," I sighed, gesturing around the room.

"I know, but you know how determined Es is when she puts her mind to something. We saw her doctor before we left and she cleared her for travel. She needs to rest on this trip," he explained.

"How far along?"

"Four months."

It's longer than the others had ever become.

"She says she feels good. Alice says we're going to have a girl," he said with a warm smile.

"Emmett told me about Alice."

"Alice is different now," he said giving me a pointed look. "Father had no business doing what he did. She needed something we couldn't give her, but what she needed found his own way to her."

I now wondered what Jasper was truly like. I'd noticed in my office that he reined Alice in and was good at making her calm. He also kept her in check when she grew accusatory.

Noticing my tension for anything directly related to Alice, Carlisle shifted Cameron. "After speaking with Emma, I can see why you stayed here… she's very charming," he said with a laugh.

"What did she say?" I asked with an amused smile.

"She told us in no uncertain terms that you are staying here. She said that you are man of the house even though you and her mom have an equal partnership," he teased.

"That's sounds like something Bella would say," I mumbled, knowing who the true boss was. Bella.

"So, Bella..." he mused.

I reached over, pulling a picture off the fridge. I was sitting in the sand with a very pregnant Bella between my legs. She was leaning back against me. My hands held her belly as we grinned at the camera. I was surprised with how comfortable she had been with her body during her pregnancy. She wore her bikinis on the beach as she waddled proudly.

"This is Bella," I told him, handing him the photo.

He studied the picture and glanced down at Cameron. "She's very... beautiful," he said honestly.

"You want to say young," I sighed.

"Do you love her?"

"Absolutely," I said without hesitation.

"Then age doesn't matter," he countered frankly.

He stood, laying the picture down. "We have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow, especially with everything we need to discuss. Dad doesn't know you're alive and I'd like to keep it that way for a little while. We need a plan before he gets involved," he explained, placing a now sleeping Cam in my arms.

He left to join Esme in their room and I went upstairs. After checking that Emma was asleep in her bed, I laid Cam down in his crib in our room. When I slipped into bed, I wrapped myself around Bella. I wanted to ignore everything that was trying to intrude on the bliss I'd had these last three years. As I drifted off to sleep, my final waking thought was that this, without a doubt, was my paradise. Me, Bella and our children.

* * *

I felt the cool sheets against my skin. I was alone. I opened my eyes and saw that Bella wasn't in bed with me and Cameron wasn't in his bed either. I rolled over glancing at the clock on Bella's nightstand. It read eight fifteen.

With a sigh I got out of bed and went in search of my girl and my child. In the hallway, I found the guest room doors, along with Emma's, all shut. That might be a good thing. I was surprised that Bella wasn't in the sanctuary of our room, but with everyone still sleeping, I would be able to introduce her properly when they woke up.

I was about to walk into the kitchen when I heard Emmett's voice, followed by Bella's. "How do you survive up here without communication?" Emmett asked.

"We have communication," she answered. I could hear the eye roll from here. "There's a landline."

"I leave my blackberry a few inches away, I'm twitching," he explained.

I peeked in and saw Emmett sitting at the counter. He looked casual in a white t-shirt and cargo shorts. He was holding Cameron on his lap. I caught Bella's movement in the pantry as she emerged with pancake mix and chocolate chips. She set her ingredients by my brother. I wanted to laugh at how small she looked standing beside him in her pajamas. She almost looked like a child.

"I've never had all of that so I think I'll survive," she told him dryly.

"How does Edward survive? He was worse than me when it came to setting his phone down or just taking a step back from anything. How is he not certifiable?" he questioned as he watched her cook.

"He never voiced missing his phone or anything. If he wanted a cell, I didn't tell him he couldn't have one. We have emergency ones we keep in the SUVs, but other than that we don't really have a need for them," she said with a shrug.

Emmett took her in, almost like he was trying to figure her out. He didn't attack her character or intentions like Alice had. He was simply curious.

"So... he says Emma found him?"

"We were walking out of the airport and he was sitting on the curb."

"You didn't know who he was?"

"His face was plastered all over CNN. I had an idea of who he was and before you try and assume the worst of me… If you would have seen how defeated and upset he was, I would only hope you would have helped him. I was going through a rough time and so was he. I was only trying to help him. Everything else just kind of happened," Bella said, staring him down.

"He loves you," Emmett told her.

"And I love him. I know how much he loves me. He is the greatest man, next to my dad, that I will ever know. I had Emma and she will always be my world, along with Cameron, but Edward showed me how to love someone so completely that I could trust again. He makes me feel loved every single day…" she trailed off and I saw her forehead crinkle in worry.

"You think we've ruined that?"

"No, I just don't know what to think," she said huffing out a breath. "We'd actually talked about him contacting all of you the night before he bumped into your sister. Edward wants to get married, but in order to do that he would need to use his real identity."

"He wants to get married," Emmett mumbled more so to himself.

"I'm not Tanya… I'm also not some money grubbing whore," Bella defended.

"I didn't say you were," he sighed.

"No, but I can see the accusations in your eyes."

"Bella, you need to see things from our side. Edward had always been a cold asshole. When Dad sent me and Edward to boarding school, he never fit in. He belittled the other guys who didn't match his intelligence. As we got older he grew more condescending. He was a prodigy in his own right, but didn't know how to treat people like human beings," he said before pausing. "I walk into your home and that man isn't my brother. He seems nice and I kind of want to keep him that way. A life without arrogance seems to suit him."

Bella's eyes narrowed. I didn't think I was such an asshole. I'd holed myself up in my office and hid from the world. I couldn't stand incompetence and didn't have patience for error. I'd told Bella about my childhood and opened up to her more than I have ever had with anyone else. She was genuine.

Bella set her mixer down and walked over to the picture board we had by the small side table that held Bella's grocery lists and her keys. She grabbed a few pictures off it and sat them in front of Emmett, making sure to keep them out of Cameron's reach.

"Is that...?"

"The Mariners. My step-dad is the owner," she said haughtily, making me want to snort. "These are the buildings my mother designed."

He shuffled through and when he stopped, I knew he was looking at the Masen building. Emmett and my father had worked with Renee on every detail of my company's structure.

"This is Masen," he breathed. "Your mother was Renee Dwyer?" Emmett placed the pictures carefully on the counter and made eye contact with my girl. "I apologize Bella."

I watched her push off from the counter. Bella's hands were shaking, but she brushed off Emmett's apology, quietly thanking him before going back to making breakfast. I stood outside the kitchen for a few moments before casually walking in, acting as if I hadn't been eavesdropping on their whole interaction.

As I pulled Bella into me, kissing her temple, I could feel Emmett's eyes on us. I had a feeling he would be dissecting our relationship his whole trip down here.

**A/N: So, these Cullens don't seem so bad! By the way, when I write this Bella I see Emilia Clarke, but she doesn't have the accent. This is just the beginning for Edward and we'll see glimpse of the old Edward. Thoughts? This chapter was beta'd by ****Astro2009, a huge thanks to her and all of her suggestions and edits!**


	5. Chapter 5

**BPOV**

I felt Edward's lips at my temple and froze. Knowing him, he'd heard my whole exchange with Emmett. I was sort of awkward meeting a stranger in my kitchen this morning. I also wasn't expecting to meet any of Edward's family on my own.

My main plan had been to hide out in our room all morning, but Cam's cries filled the monitor. I had to put on my big girl panties and leave my hideaway for my children.

I turned my head to look up at Edward and plastered a smile on my face. I couldn't explain it, but as much as Edward said nothing would change, I seemed to feel a shift between us.

As I glanced over at Emmett, I tried to see a resemblance between the two brothers, but they looked too different. Emmett was bigger than Edward in height and weight. He was a wall of mass. The eyes were the only thing that matched on them. Cullen green eyes, the same as Edward and our son. They were also the eyes that were watching me from across the kitchen counter.

"Hey Ed, is there maybe someplace that I can pick up a wi-fi hotspot?" Emmett asked, peering curiously at the two of us.

"There is a Verizon store in town," Edward said as his eyes remained locked on me.

"You should take him. We don't know how long he'll survive up here without wireless," I added dryly.

"Hey, I have a fortune five hundred company I'm running. I need my people in constant communication with me," Emmett pointed out with a teasing tone.

I stiffened at that. If Edward went back to that life, would we ever see him?

"Mom, are you making breakfast?" Emma sang as she skipped into the room, holding the hand of who I assumed was Edward's other brother, Carlisle. He was tall and lean like Edward. They looked eerily similar, but different. Edward's wild bronze mess was exchanged with smooth collar-length blond hair and Carlisle's blue eyes had more crinkles around them.

"It's almost ready, hold your horses," I told her.

She giggled and went to sit next to Emmett.

"Hello, I'm Carlisle," Edward's brother said, grinning warmly as he held his hand out.

"Bella," I offered politely, taking his hand. "Very nice to meet you." _Lie._

"Where's Es?" Edward asked, letting me go.

"Still sleeping. I told her to take it easy," he explained.

The three brothers talked as I made coffee. It felt weird to watch Edward and Emma talk with them so freely. Especially Emma, since this was her first time meeting them. I guess it wasn't too surprising though, given her history with Edward.

Cameron started to squirm in Emmett's arms and I knew it was time for him to be fed. I took him and excused myself outside. It was a good reason to go clear my head. I was overwhelmed and felt that any control of the situation was completely out of my hands.

I sat on the lower step of our deck. It was hidden away, so if anyone was on the beach they wouldn't see me whipping out a tit. Cam fed and once I got a burp out of him, I felt the pull of the beach.

I kicked the sand between my toes as I walked down the hill to our beach. We basically lived on a huge cliff, but luckily we had a pathway leading down to the shoreline. When Emma was a baby, I would bring her down to the shore when she was fussy. To this day, I still think that the rhythmic pounding of the waves on the shore calmed her.

I peered down at Cam as his eyes took in everything. He wasn't a crier, but I could tell that our beach paradise brought him comfort just like it had for his sister. Seeing him so distraught yesterday just about gutted me. For someone of his own blood to upset my little boy like that… I needed to keep Edward's family at a distance.

And now three of them were filling up my guest rooms. Emmett, so far, didn't seem as bad as Alice. He appeared more confused than anything. The things he had told me about his brother weren't surprising though. During his first few months here, Edward was very uptight - even bordering on cold.

In those months, I very quickly learned three things about the man who would become my love: he was most definitely OCD, he had the mouth of a marine, and he was moodier than a teenage girl.

As he started to relax, Edward's OCD became more manageable. He stopped freaking out if Emma spilled something on the counter. Every time I placed toilet paper in the bathroom, he quit turning it the 'right' way. And his last major bout of OCD was my office- when he first started visiting he would rearrange my order, which drove me insane. Luckily I broke him of the habit.

The swearing was a little easier to deal with, because Emma's eyes would widen and she would scold him. He felt like he was disappointing her in some way.

When Edward was frustrated, he swore the most, 'fuck' being his word of choice. It was one Emma couldn't forgive.

About a month into living with us, I woke up to Edward using his favorite word. He was trying to surprise me with breakfast and had burnt his hand on the skillet. Unaware of his audience, Emma told him not to use that word or he'd get timeout. The older she got, the more creative her punishments became. Now she requested ten dollars for every bad word out of his mouth.

We were still working on the moodiness.

I looked out at the tide and inhaled the warm salty air that was usually a balm to my tension. "I wish I knew what the outcome was going to be for Daddy, Cameron," I murmured to my son.

He turned his head so he was looking up at me and I giggled at the pucker of his lips. For quite some time, I had resigned myself to the fact that it would only ever be me and Emma, but I was fine with that. Anger had consumed me when my mother became sick. I wasn't easy to deal with and when I fucked up with Mike, my actions and guilt caught up with me.

Emma's father had a family, a family she didn't belong in. I knew I could give her all of the love and support she would need, but Edward came into the picture changing all of that. He became her father and my everything. Before, I was independent, doing everything for me and my child, but I had come to rely on this man that just appeared in our lives.

I started to realize this when Emma first asked if Edward could be her father, since she didn't have one. I had been alone for so long that I hadn't realized what she'd been missing out on. Edward was with me and supported every word I said to her. Without him, I'd probably have been a mess explaining her father to her.

Edward wasn't ours though. He'd had a family and a life in Chicago that had nothing to do with us.

Cameron was his blood and apparently, the heir to an empire Edward said he wanted nothing to do with. I didn't want to leave. I loved Edward, but my children and their protection came first. This is their home… our home.

We wouldn't leave. I needed to tell him that we would stay here if any type of media frenzy was to begin.

I held Cameron closer as I walked back up the hill to the house. As I climbed the stairs up onto the back deck, I could feel the tension returning to my shoulders. My hand trembled slightly as I opened the door into the kitchen and I tried to brace myself for whatever was waiting for me in the house that had always been my refuge.

The kitchen was empty and the only sound was the quiet hum of the fridge. The bar stools at the island where I had been preparing pancakes to feed our house guests were clear, with the exception of a yellow square of paper - Edward had left a note saying that he had taken his brothers, along with Emma, into town. Sighing, I took Cam into the living room.

Lying on my couch was a petite woman with long, pin straight, caramel hair. I assumed this had to have been Esme. I took in her navy blue Dartmouth hoodie and white terrycloth shorts as she rolled over and opened her eyes.

"Hello," she said, smiling warmly at me.

"Hey," I said, giving her a small wave. "I'm Bella."

"I gathered that," she teased. "I'm Esme. My husband, Carlisle, is Edward's oldest brother."

Cam took that moment to start wiggling around in my arms. He was getting to the place where he wanted to crawl, but only knew how to stick his butt in the air, lacking the movement part.

I grabbed his play mat and spread it out so he could do his thing. If I didn't give into his wiggly demands, Cam would definitely become fussy. I laid him on his belly and, sure enough, he got in his crawl stance mode as I grabbed his favorite toys and sat down cross-legged beside him.

I held a block in my hand, noticing Cam was eyeing it. His legs started kicking behind him and his hands reached out. I moved the block catching his attention again, this time earning a grunt. His little hand rested on my thigh and I laughed as he tried to pull himself up.

Esme sat up a little so her back was resting against the arm of the couch. I saw a tear fall as she watched Cameron.

"I'm sorry," she sniffled. "He reminds me of Edward when he was that age."

"You've known Edward that long?" I asked, surprised.

"His whole life," she said with a smile. "My father was a Senator in Chicago, Ed Senior was one of his endorsers. I grew up with the boys and Alice."

"And you married Carlisle," I added.

"Yes. For ten years now," she laughed. "It wasn't supposed to go that way," she said. "I was supposed to marry Emmett."

My eyes widened. Edward had told me about Tanya and how his father introduced them. It seemed that Edward Cullen Senior cared more about a blue-blooded legacy than his children's happiness.

"So you all come from a world of arranged marriages, basically," I pointed out.

"Not exactly. Alice married Jasper for love. Carlisle and I married for those same reasons. It was Emmett who stood up for us. After that, he refused his father meddling in his love life," she explained.

I looked down at Cam trying his hardest to move. His arms were under him like he was going to push off and his little butt was moving. I patted it trying to get him going.

"What do you think his father will do when he finds out?" I asked Esme, bringing my attention back to her. "I mean, I wasn't chosen like Tanya and I was a single mother when Edward met me. It's obvious I am not what he wanted for Edward. I have a past."

I picked Cam up, holding him close and needing to feel his warm little body snuggling into mine. Esme moved and patted the open space beside her. I didn't want to show weakness to these strangers, but the unknown was freaking me out. I moved us until we were sitting beside her.

"Carlisle is assessing everything in this situation. He and Emmett said they would handle it. I know you don't know us and Alice hasn't made the best impression, but the Cullen children are the most loyal human beings I've ever met. They will not leave you alone in all of this," she said, squeezing my hand.

Esme's kind words and comforting gestures did little to calm me. Edward and I hadn't taken the time to figure this out just the two of us, and now we had at least five more people butting in. I awkwardly patted her hand before making up the excuse of a wet diaper so that Cam and I could leave. I needed some space.

I hid away upstairs, sitting Cameron against a stack of pillows on our bed.

I reached for the phone and dialed my dad's number. The phone rang and I was about to hang up when I heard the familiar rough breathing on the other end of the line.

"Chief Swan," he groused tiredly.

"Daddy," I mumbled into the phone.

"Bells? What's wrong?" he asked urgently.

I took a deep breath and as I exhaled, I felt the tremble in my throat build. "Edward's family are here. They found him," I sniffled.

As I glanced down at Cam, I felt like I was breaking. As much as Edward said nothing would change, I felt that change was inevitable. As this realization dawned on me, the fragile control that I'd been hanging onto since yesterday finally snapped and I started sobbing.

"Baby girl, I need you to calm down and tell me everything," Dad soothed.

And I did. I told him everything, from Alice's attack on Edward and Cameron to my conversation with Esme.

"I need you to answer this, Bella. Do you want to leave? Do you want me to come and get you and the kids and bring you back here?" Dad asked seriously.

"This is my home," I protested.

"And by the sounds of it, it's being invaded."

"Dad," I protested weakly, touched by his instinct to protect me. "I need to be here. I need to deal with this with Edward, and my children need to be in their home, sleeping in their own beds."

"Then I'm flying down there; you will not be handling this alone."

"I'm not alone. Edward's here. He needs me and the kids, Dad." I sighed running my hand through my hair. "I'm just overwhelmed."

The truth was, I had a million things running through my mind. What if nothing worked out? What if everything did?

"I'm still booking a flight. I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Thank you," I told him sincerely.

"I'll call you from the airport."

"Okay, travel safe," I whimpered.

"I love you, kid."

"I love you too, Daddy," I said before hanging up.

After I placed the phone back on the receiver, I wrapped myself around my son. He snuggled into me and we drifted off to sleep.

**A/N: This took awhile, but I wanted it to be perfect. I split this chapter up. I'm going to warn you now, the Edward we heard about will appear, but it needs to be done. This is a story showing their strength. Thoughts?**

**This chapter was beta'd by Astro2009 and Dolphin62598****. I want to shout out to** **Astro2009 because she pushed me to add more details for you guys. It really helps the story mesh now!**


	6. Chapter 6

**BPOV**

I felt the bed dip, startling as I started to wake up. Edward was sitting on his side of the bed, and he was running his hands through his hair.

"Hey," I said, my voice husky with sleep. "What time is it?" The sun was still shining through the window, so I hadn't slept the entire day away, as much as I would have liked to.

Edward didn't answer me immediately. He kept tugging on his hair and remained with his back to me.

"Your dad called me," he said flatly. "He wants you to go back with him or at least stay in Seattle with Phil."

I rubbed my eyes and struggled to sit up without jostling Cameron, who was still soundly asleep between me and his father.

"I called Dad when I got back from the beach," I told Edward. "You weren't here and I needed to talk to someone. He said he was going to book a flight and come visit."

"He can't get a flight until tomorrow. He wants you to go, Bella. What the fuck did you tell him?"

I knew from Edward's tone that he was angry. He rarely spoke to me like that and it hurt. I pulled my knees to my chin and hugged my legs to my chest. The feeling of isolation that I'd had before I called my dad came bubbling back to the surface and I inhaled a shaky breath.

"I need someone," I whispered.

I watched as he slowly turned to face me. His hand reached out, but he pulled back. Edward's hair was a mess and his usual scruff had filled in more. His green eyes showed me how exhausted he truly was.

He huffed out a sigh and turned away from me again, resting his elbows on his knees and cradling his head in his hands.

I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood. I scooped Cam up, carried him into his room and turned on his monitor. When I returned, Edward was lying still on the bed, his hands folded behind his head. He was staring at the ceiling and didn't move as I approached the bed.

"Esme said you talked," he said in a tone that was detached.

"We did," I answered cautiously. "Where's Em?"

"Eating lunch out on the deck with everyone," he responded stiffly. "Did you think I'd leave her in town by herself or something?"

Edward had never been petty before, and my emotions were already stretched to their breaking point. I walked back around to my side of the bed and sat so that I could face him. He was still staring at the ceiling, refusing to look at me.

"You're upset that I called my dad, but you have to realize I had to," I started as I lay beside him again. "Edward, I'm worried about how all of this is going to affect the kids. Things are going to change, and I need someone on my side. My dad is only trying to help."

Edward still wouldn't look at me, but I saw how he clenched his jaw in anger.

"I need to think about Emma. When your reemergence into society makes national news, we will all be found. Mike will know where we are and who says he won't fight me for her? I'm not going to share her with him. She's my daughter, Edward - mine!"

"You don't think I know that," he snapped. "I love _your_ daughter too, Isabella. I guess I'm just realizing what a selfish bitch you could be."

His tone and rigidness did it, more than his words. I glared at him as I sat up on my knees. The indifference on his face only added to my fury. I leaned forward, poking his chest.

"You will never... and I mean never, speak to me like that again and you're right - Emma Leigh Swan is _my_ daughter. When it comes to protecting _my_ child, I will be a selfish bitch and I can make damn sure that Cameron is only _my_ son as well. I'm allowed to be scared and feel however the fuck I want to feel in this situation. If you want to revert to your infamous asshole persona, you can leave right now. Then my children and I can stay here disturbance free," I panted out.

I was pissed and he was breaking my heart. His mask slipped as he sat up. He hovered like he was going to touch me, but held back. There was a war going on inside him and I felt like I was the only person that could see it.

He stood up and paced back and forth at the end of the bed, clenching and unclenching his fists but saying nothing. He strode across the room and flung the windows open as far as they would go and then turned to face me.

His mouth opened and closed, like a goldfish gasping for air. His breathing became more and more ragged as he walked back to where I was kneeling on the bed. Suddenly, he pitched forward onto his knees.

"I… I c-can't..." he struggled as his hands tugged at the neck of his shirt and sweat poured down his face.

I realized I was witnessing first hand a panic attack. Edward had told me about his anxiety issues a few weeks into his stay with us, but as long as he'd lived here, he'd never had one.

"Edward, I need you to breathe for me, babe… please?" I asked softly.

His body was wracked with harsh breaths. I pulled him to me as he wrapped himself around me. Looking over at the clock on the table beside the bed, I watched the time as I rubbed his back. Minutes passed as he calmed, his breathing slowed and he stopped shaking, but suddenly, his grip on me tightened.

"You can't leave me," his voice gritted out.

I sighed and he squeezed.

"I can't lose Emma," I whispered.

His head snapped up and he looked gutted. His green eyes were bloodshot and full of tears. His face was covered in a fine sheen of sweat and he was pale and haunted looking.

This Edward was the man I had met, sitting on the curb at the airport three years ago. But now his agony had been tripled.

"Then I stay dead," he cried, as his eyes pleaded with me.

My head dropped onto his shoulder. "You are not dead," I told him. "We can't get married if you stay dead. How is it possible to have you on Cameron's birth certificate if you were dead when he was conceived. You can't even legally be a guardian to Emma."

"So my only option is to lose my family?" Edward's voice broke with a sob, and his head fell forward onto my lap. We sat, not talking, for a minute or two, the silence broken only by Edward's shaky breaths and a few sniffles. I continued to rub circles on his back and ran my fingers through his damp, sweaty hair.

"We need to discuss this with your brothers and my dad together. Talking to Esme about your father spooked me and I don't want him to interfere with what we have here."

Edward nodded against my lap and I used both hands to cup his face and raise his head so that he was looking into my eyes.

"I can't have you pulling this cold bastard stick either. I won't put up with it," I told him seriously.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

I knew he was sorry, but still our situation had yet to be fixed. I needed Edward as much as he needed me, and right now he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.

Edward was usually so organized, so logical. Out of the two of us, he was the fixer.

For him not to have his shit together scared me.

Cameron's cries filtered in through the room, making Edward rise from our bed. "I'll get him," he said, as he walked across across the room.

I stood as well, feeling uncomfortable in my own skin. This wasn't me at all. I wasn't some vicious person who delivered ultimatums. I shuffled out into the hall when I heard a paralyzed scream from the landing. I hurried my movements when I saw that Rosalie was clawing to climb the stairs.

Movement coming toward her caught my eye and I saw a hopelessly frightened Emmett Cullen try to help her. His hulking frame triggered her frantic way of escape.

"Edward," I yelled.

Emmett froze as his panicked eyes met mine. "Please, Emmett, stay where you are," I warned.

Edward came running out without our son, who I could hear crying his head off. I watched Edward's face register what was happening. He moved past me down the stairs, past Rose. He was careful not to touch her. She shocked me by grabbing Edward's arm.

He stood still as she stood, using him as a human shield. His brother made a move to come closer. Edward raised his hand to stop him.

"Emmett, please join everyone else out back," Edward said tiredly. His exhaustion was evident on his face. Between his panic attack and now this, I was growing concerned he might be put over the edge.

Emmett backed away hesitantly as Edward whispered to Rose. As I moved closer to them, I saw her shaking. He wrapped his arm around her and she turned into him. The only other man she let touch her was my father.

Rosalie had been to hell and back. Edward had been living here a year when I received a call in the middle of the night about what happened to Rose. She had loved Royce and had trusted him. He drugged her and had the freshman pledges rape her in order to be initiated into his frat.

Three of the pledges refused and went straight to the cops. Rose woke up in a hospital bed with police and counselors trying to explain what had happen to her.

I had left Emma with Edward and flew to Seattle to get her. She was catatonic. Not only could she not speak, but also she wouldn't move either. I basically lived at the hospital for a week before she finally broke down and cried.

The only people she wouldn't shut down on were women. Her case was taken over by a lady detective and her doctors and nurses were female. There was a time they wanted to put her in the psych ward, but her parents were hands down against that kind of humiliation for themselves.

After a lot of discussion, mostly on my part, it was decided that Rose would come home with me. Dad escorted us back and he was the only man other than her own father that she could be around.

When we arrived home, Rose had shut herself up in her room. Edward's presence sent her back into a panic. She'd heard about him and knew who he was to us, but the unfamiliar set her back.

While I was pregnant with Cam, we finally got her settled into her house and within the past few years she became comfortable with Edward and Jake, my brother-in-law. Today had been a setback.

As I moved forward, I gently took Rosalie's hand. She flinched for a moment before her cool blue eyes met mine.

"I'm sorry," she rasped out through a sob.

Edward's tired face frowned before he spoke. "Why don't we go sit in our room?" he suggested softly, though his voice now sounded rough.

Rose nodded slowly before looping her arm with his and scooping up my hand in her free one. Cameron's cries were still ringing loud as we passed his room and Rosalie apologized again. Edward led the way into our room and he helped Rose onto the lounge chair we had in front of the balcony doors.

He left to go check on Cam and I sat beside Rose. She hiccuped a few times before speaking.

"After everything… I wanted to check on you," she stammered.

I sighed, pulling my best friend into a tight hug. "I really should have called you," I murmured.

"No, it's okay," she sniffed. "I'm sorry."

"No, I'm sorry. I should have stopped over this morning. I know I left in a hurry yesterday and you were worried about the kids. It wasn't fair. Edward's family showed up in the middle of the night."

"Th-that guy is his family?" she asked quietly.

"His older brother."

"I'm so sorry…"

"Rosalie, you have nothing to apologize for. Emmett is a giant, I get it," I insisted.

Her head hung and her blonde curls covered her face. I knew how far she had come and could see she was beating herself up about her reaction to Emmett.

"I was doing better," she snapped.

She was, although she still only went out early morning to run errands - she tried to avoid crowds at all costs.

"I know, Rose. I'm so proud of how far you've come. You can't blame yourself for your reaction," I whispered, pulling her in for a hug. "You let Edward help and that was a big step."

"I trust him… He is a good man," she admitted.

I sat quiet for a minute. Before Royce King, Rosalie had this insane knack for judging character. So for her to put all this trust in my Edward, it was huge.

"His family thought he was dead," I blurted. "I know I told you a little about it yesterday, but it turns out they were boarding a plane as soon as they got word from his sister."

"They're trying to take him back?" she asked softly.

"I-I don't know," I said letting out a breath. "We just had an epic argument before you got here."

"You do know how absolutely crazy in love he is with you, Bella. When I first came here and after Cam was born... the way he looks at you. He fusses over you still. He loves you. You can't let these people come in and ruin that," she said.

"But is love really enough?" I asked quietly.

She pulled back glaring at me.

"You both will fight for it. The kids need you and even though you haven't taken vows, I know you both honor that for better or for worse bit," she told me.

"I can't lose Emma, Rose. Him joining back into society will be national news. Our lives will be exposed," I cried.

Rose frowned before brushing my tears from my face.

"Do you think Edward would let that happen?"

"No...I don't know… Dad's flying in."

"You know your Dad will roll in here guns a blazin'. Edward needs someone on his side. His family might be here, but _you_ are the women he loves. His whole world revolves around you and those kids. You can't leave him alone in this," Rose said with such confidence.

At that, Edward walked back in holding Cam to his chest. He sat on the bed, leaning against the headboard. I glanced between Edward and Rose - both looked so exhausted and defeated. I realized they had faced their own demons today. Rose was right though - I needed to stand by him.

The question was could I be what he needed, during this time of struggle for us?

**A/N: The beginning of this was the end of Chapter 5, but I think it worked itself out. I know you probably want to hit Edward, but he is hurting keep that in mind. Of course, I need to know your thoughts?**

**This chapter was beta'd by Astro2009 and Dolphin62598. Astro2009 had some ideas thrown in for this chapter, so a huge thanks to her! She has helped a lot in this chapter with detail!**


	7. Chapter 7

**EPOV**

I stared at Bella as she slept. The past forty-eight hours had just about obliterated me. The more I talked to Emmett and Carlisle, the more I felt my grip on everything slip from my grasp.

I needed to regain control of the situation. This wasn't only my life; it was Bella's and the kids' as well. The fight we had earlier was fueled by pain and frustration and we said things in the heat of the moment.

I understood that she needed her father, but I wish she trusted me enough to protect us from both our pasts. The things I said were uncalled for and disrespectful, but Bella gave as good as she got.

Bella was a runner and Charlie was always there to fix everything for her. I knew that if it were discovered that I was alive, the media would flock to us. Emma had a father out there and we had no idea what lengths he would go to have some kind of presence in her life.

Bella shifted and I was dying to touch her. I loved and worshipped the ground she walked on. I had no right speaking to her the way I did, but it wasn't as though her own words hadn't cut me. She threatened to take the kids away from me. I really didn't think she would, but I wasn't going to test her.

She was small, but when it came to our children she was fierce and protective. I had seen the fear in her eyes earlier and regretted everything I did to create that.

I kissed her head before making my way down to the office. Emmett had been working in there earlier, or I should say, staying as far away from Rosalie as possible. After she calmed down, Bella insisted she stay here, but away from my family. She was now in the pool house with Emma.

I explained to my family a little about Rose's situation, but stayed away from a lot of details. It was her story to share when she was ready, if she even wanted to talk to them. Emmett apologized profusely to me. I'd never seen him look this concerned over a stranger. He was a good guy, but kept to himself in some ways. I couldn't get a read on him.

I powered up his laptop, guessing his password as Mom's name and birthday. He'd been closer with her out of the three of us boys and Alice never knew her. I knew Emmett always used ideas of her so the password was a good guess on my part.

I went into Google and searched my name. I was bombarded with articles on my death, the legal troubles Masen faced with James. Other links were about Emmett's success with the company. I hit the image tab and was bombarded with every past mistake. Before Tanya, my life in the press was every bit like my business. An enigma. I scrolled down seeing mostly pictures with Tanya at gala or charity events. Then seedy photos taken by me or various women I had been with. Non-disclosure agreements must become null and void if the other party is dead.

I heard the door creak open and Bella's head poked through. She blinked and shuffled in once she saw it was me.

"You weren't next to me," she explained.

I pushed back from the desk a bit, opening my arms to her. She hesitantly walked forward, taking a seat on my lap.

"Have I honestly done something for me not to have your trust?" I whispered, resting my chin on her shoulder.

She shook her head, leaning further into me. My arms closed around her tightly.

"You're on Emmett's laptop," she murmured.

"I'm trying to gain more knowledge of who I am," I explained.

She leaned forward, scrolling through images. She frowned and cringed. "A flogger? Really?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm not into that anymore," I rasped out.

"These are credit to the Daily Mail and X17Online," she said, before clicking on some of my photos with Tanya.

We looked polished and stuck up. Bella snorted at the pictures of me with various politicians and world leaders.

"Your past isn't mine to judge," she said quietly. "What all of that shows me is that you are the man I fell in love with, not him."

"I want to apologize for everything I said to you… for the names I called you-" I told her honestly.

"I threatened to take what was yours," she interrupted. "You have every right to Emma and Cameron, as much as I do."

I turned her so she was sitting sideways and I could see her face. "I want us, along with your dad to come up with a plan. The kids will not be exposed if I can help it and if Mike tries to contact you in any way it will be through our lawyers."

"We'll have to go back," she sighed.

"You and I will go back. The kids will stay with Rose or Jake and Leah here. We keep them out of this as much as we can," I told her.

"We can't be gone long."

"A week at the most. Your dad, Sue and Phil can be there too. Also, we're keeping Anthony Masen to ourselves."

I had opened a Swiss Bank Account under Anthony Masen when I started dating Tanya. He was also a shareholder along with five other men. My father didn't need to know it was me. It was security for myself and I am grateful that I did it. Anthony isn't a major shareholder so I have enough to fly under the radar.

"We'll be tracked back here," she pointed out.

"The house is in Phil's name, but all the documents for this house and the other private residents out here are not public record. We can take a private plane back," I promised in my explanation.

Bella let out a soft sigh before leaning forward. She entered Mike's name into the search bar. We read about Mike and his family's journey on the Newton Outfitter's site. There was a picture of him, his wife and three children. The oldest girl looked almost identical to Emma though she appeared to be taller than my petite girl.

"His family looks like a fucking picture frame family," Bella mumbled. "She has siblings other than Cam."

"Family is what you make of it," I said scrolling through more of the company's bio.

Michael Newton Jr. had expanded his father's company throughout the Pacific Northwest making it one of the biggest sporting good retailers in that part of the country.

"He could go after Emma just out of spite," she spoke up.

I looked at her and realized where the base of her frustrations ran. We needed to make this about the kids. I could care less about me and what the public thought of me. Emma needed us to fight for her if Mike decided to swoop in.

"We are going to speak with my lawyers, who work for me and not my family. If we have to fight dirty, I'm fine with it."

"Edward," she started.

"You were seventeen and he was in his mid-twenties, Bella. You were drunk. He took advantage," I said smoothly.

She looked horrified. "I consented," she argued.

"If he goes after Emma, we need to hit him in his jugular," I added calmly.

"I'm as much to blame. I won't lie about what happened … he didn't speak up about Jessica. He has to live with that, but for me to pull the statutory rape card is appalling," she said vehemently. "I agreed to sex. I was fucked up, but I was aware."

I rested my head against the chair. She was right, but the more I stared at the man who shared DNA with my daughter, the more I saw through his perfect family façade. His bright white smile was camouflage for the smugness and entitlement his eyes held.

Bella turned and straddled me so we were face to face. "After everything that happened earlier, I know I doubted you. I regret it… I know that you love Emma," she said before I stopped her.

I let my finger gently cover her lips. "I regret the way I spoke to you and the things I said. I want you to know that I won't let anyone sweep into Emma's life and take her from us. I won't allow it. He would have to kill me because she isn't going anywhere that we aren't. The kids will stay here. No one will take them from this house."

"I want to believe you, but this whole situation seems bigger than us," she said with a defeated frown.

I would prove to her I would fight for us and make her believe I would let no one interfere with the kids' lives.

* * *

"Daddy, are you and Mom in a fight?" Emma asked from the back seat.

"Things are a little rough, but we're working through it," I explained to her with the best of my capability. "Why?"

"I heard your brothers talking."

"What did they say?" I asked, pulling into the airport's visitor lot.

"Uncle Carlisle told Emmett they should go home. He said they were making you and Mom fight," she said. "Is something bad going to happen?"

I pulled into a space, turning off the car. As I got out, I tried to think what to tell her before we picked up her grandfather. I opened the door leaning my forehead to the small girl that became my daughter. Her nose scrunched and she smiled.

"Nothing bad is happening or at least I won't let anything bad happen," I promised.

"No fighting?"

"No fighting," I assured her. "Now let's go get Pappy."

This morning Cam had been really fussy and Bella and I could feel a tooth coming in. She'd stayed holed up in our room with Rosalie, saying she didn't want to deal with everyone.

I understood, because the last few days had been a nightmare. I purchased Charlie and Sue's tickets. Bella tried to tell me her dad said he had it, but they were flying down here because of me so it only seemed fair.

I noticed Sue once Emma and I were at the curb. She smiled warmly, pulling Emma close before releasing her and hugging me.

"I talked some sense into Charlie, but you're really going to have to prove to him that you and Bella are a united front," she whispered.

"You've grown a lot, kid," I heard from behind us.

"I'm the shortest kid in my class, Pappy," Emma huffed.

"You wanna know a secret?"

I turned to see her nod.

"Your mom was too," he laughed.

I laughed as well, earning Charlie's attention. He stood to his full height, which was five inches shorter than me.

I stood in the scrutiny of Charlie Swan's stare. Bella's father was a man of honor and justice. He was always about doing the right thing. I knew from what Bella has told me he had been disappointed with her decision of not telling Mike about Emma, but he still supported his daughter.

When I came into the picture, he was less than thrilled about us. Bella told him I came into some hardships and she was helping me out. After I fell in love with her, Charlie told me I 'better not fuck it up'. Then after Cameron, he repeated his mantra of the kind of man I should be for Bella.

"Me and you have a lot to discuss," he said with a glare.

I knew right then I was in Charlie's line of fire.

**A/N: Charlie's here and he's not holding back! I'm kind of surprised at the amount of hate Bella got last chapter… Thoughts? Also shout outs to my betas for this chapter, ****Astro2009 and Dolphin62598. They truly make this better!**


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